Recap of 2020 goals

Here is 2020's goal sheet and my annual accounting.  Obviously, there were a few unexpected issues this year challenging my ability to complete some of these goals.

2020 goals

Exercise goals

• Achieve a 30 day streak on Peloton
• I met this goal twice.
• Work out every week on Peloton
• I am now up to an 80 week streak on Peloton.
• Ride 2020 RAGBRAI (bike ride across state of Iowa)
• This may be my biggest personal cancellation of 2020.  I had joined a team and was set to ride RAGBRAI, but COVID cancelled it.  I have small hope for 2021 RAGBRAI happening, but I will eventually meet this goal.
• Bike 1000 miles (cumulative)
• I killed this goal, riding over 2,300 miles on my Peloton alone.  They also tracked total minutes working out and I clocked in at over 8,000 minutes for the year.
• Complete a 10k or longer road race
• Signed up for Cherry Blossom race, but had it cancelled due to COVID.
• Reach goal weights of 220 (March), 210 (July), 200 (November) and then maintain weight from November to new year. 
• I was slightly on target to meet this in February, but by March, I was going the wrong direction.  I peaked in July and have come down about 7-8 lbs since then, but have really struggled with eating this year.

Travel/Entertainment goals

• Travel to three new places (city/state/country)
• Gettysburg, PA
• Outerbanks, NC (technically, I had been here before, but I'm counting it)
• I also got in a January trip to Phoenix, a February work trip to Dubai, with a side trip to Italy (right as the pandemic hit), and a Thanksgiving trip to San Antonio).
• Read six books
• My completed 2020 books in order of favorites
• The Dutch House - Ann Patchett
• Girl, Woman, Other - Bernadette Evaristo
• A Visit from the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan
• Nickel Boys - Colson Whitehead
• The World as It Is - Ben Rhodes
• White Fragility - Robin DiAngelo
• ------
• Executive Orders - Tom Clancy (a reread from high school that got worse with my age/education/government experience)
• The Rooster Bar - John Grisham (I love Grisham, but this book was crap).
• Attend two college/pro football games
• NOPE
• Attend two concerts/shows
• NOPE
• Attend at least one Husker game
• NOPE
• Take Jack to his first football game
• NOPE, but I got the kid hooked on football, so there's that
• Find regular board gaming group
• Didn't find an in-person group, but joined an online board game site for a game called "Diplomacy", which I have really enjoyed playing this year.
• Watch two sunrises/sunsets 
• YES

Professional goals

• Find a good/interesting gap assignment 
• Changed plans due COVID/baby
• Professional goals not for public blog
• NOPE
• Volunteer for 2020 presidential campaign
• NOPE, I never quite pulled the trigger, though I did attend a few meetings and a rally back in the primary season.

Financial goals

• Finalize student loan forgiveness
• YES - YEAH!!!!
• Pay off credit cards
• YEP
• Amass specific savings goal (not for publication). 
• YEP

2020 goals

Somehow it is already 2020. 2019 flew by very quickly. My word for 2019 was “Gratitude”. Not sure I really lived that word this year, but it was a good year for me overall. Work had some successes, had some wonderful travel inside and outside the US.

My 2020 word is going to be a bit more active. I have chosen the word “Elect.”  The obvious meaning is the 2020 election. I hope to get involved politically this year. However, I also want to take specific actions with meaning. I want to “elect” to do things, to choose what I want, rather than just wait until things come to me.

2020 goals

Exercise goals

• Achieve a 30 day streak on Peloton
• Work out every week on Peloton
• Ride 2020 RAGBRAI (bike ride across state of Iowa)
• Bike 1000 miles (cumulative)
• Complete a 10k or longer road race
• Reach goal weights of 220 (March), 210 (July), 200 (November) and then maintain weight from November to new year. 

Travel/Entertainment goals

• Travel to three new places (city/state/country)
• Read six books
• Attend two college/pro football games
• Attend two concerts/shows
• Attend at least one Husker game
• Take Jack to his first football game
• Find regular board gaming group
• Watch two sunrises/sunsets 

Professional goals

• Find a good/interesting gap assignment 
• Professional goals not for public blog
• Volunteer for 2020 presidential campaign

Financial goals

• Finalize student loan forgiveness
• Pay off credit cards
• Amass specific savings goal (not for publication). 

Recap of 2019 goals

Here is a summary of my 2019 goals and how I did. 

2019 goals:

• Exercise
• Work out 2+ times/week✅
• Finish Cherry Blossom 10 miler✅
• Bike 200 miles (cumulative)✅
• Lose 2-3 lbs/month (24-36 total lbs).🚫
• ➡️ Ran the Cherry Blossom race in April. We got a Peloton in June and I have been using it every week. Sadly, despite the exercise, I yo yoed and haven’t really lost the weight I hoped. Working on weight watchers to start the new year. 
• Personal
• Attend Church weekly and volunteer with church✅
• Volunteer with AFS❌
• Read 6 books➡️5️⃣
• No TV Tuesday❌
• Make local friends❌
• Hang all pictures/art on wall by March 1❌
• ➡️ We found a great church community and have really enjoyed getting involved in the community. But, we still haven’t found good strong adult local friends. Read five books, but didn’t get to six. And we hung most of the wall art, but not everything. 
• Travel/Entertainment
• Visit 3 new places (city, state, or country)✅
• Spend 21 days with my Dad and/or Sara's mom✅
• Go on an adults-only trip with Sara✅
• Attend two college/pro football games✅
• Attend two concerts/shows❌
• Watch at least two sunrises and two sunsets✅
• ➡️ Visited Bern, Ankara, Seaside, FL, College Station, TX, and New Orleans for the first time. Had long visits with both of our parents, plus a couple of short visits. Sara and I went on two adults only trips to College Station and New Orleans this fall. Attended my first Aggie game with Sara and a Husker game with my Dad. Did not get to any concerts this year. 
• Political
• Volunteer for a presidential campaign❌
• Attend two or more political rallies❌
• ➡️ While I have been very politically engaged this year, I did not volunteer with a campaign or go to two rallies. 
• Professional
• Work Goal #1 - not stated on public blog✅
• Get a top 3 choice assignment during bidding❌
• ➡️ Really proud of our effort to achieve work goal #1.
• ➡️ Bidding was a cluster this year. Had the impression that we would get one of our top 5 bids, and then we’re surprised with choice #15.  We are headed to Guadalajara Mexico in September 2021. 
• Financial
• Pay off student loans✅
• Pay off credit cards❌
• Re-build savings❌
• ➡️ Still waiting on final word, but looks like I will get my student loans forgiven through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. About a year later than I hoped. The shutdown raised our credit card debt, so we haven’t fully paid it off, but should be good in 2020.